Short hops and hard knocks with Red Sox beat writer Ian Browne.

Papi's ponderings

We got a good, relaxed David Ortiz in front of his locker for a good eight minutes today. Big Papi respects the Rays. But he still thinks the AL East is a Red Sox-Yankees Division.

Here is the big man unfiltered from earlier today.

Red Sox and Yankees different this time because it’s second and third place? “The two best teams in baseball playing against each
other. It don’t matter.”

Different for you? “I’m not playing.”

The race in general, “I think, there’s time, dog. There’s a
lot of games left. One way or another, they know how to figure it out. We know
how to figure it out. the time will tell. It’s a long season. These kids across
the street [the Rays], they’re playing good dog. I wouldn’t take that away from them.”

“I’m not saying that they will drop, but if you go by the
numbers, that’s normally what happens in baseball, you know what I’m saying?
It’s always the guys with more experience and the guy that’s used to being in
the same spot at the end of the year that take over.”

on the Rays in general: “It will be good to watch
those kids right there come through and watch them in the playoffs, it would be
good for baseball, it would be good for people to believe that it doesn’t
matter how much money you pay, or how big your payroll is, those teams still
have a chance to be in the playoffs and make a difference, you know what I’m
saying? But at the same time, you know how it is. You guys know better.”

“Every year it’s the same thing. Every year. last year we
were up by, what, 10 games in the first half? Next thing you know, you have the
Yankees breathing right behind you at the end of the season.”

“Everybody knows that they’re having problems with their
pitching but, I don’t know dude, the know how to figure out. I keep on saying
that every year. they know how to figure things out. how, I don’t know? it
seems like they’re not even going to be close, and next thing you know, they’re
right there.”

“It’s a matter of time. we’ll see what happens. We’ll see
how the second half comes in, we’ll see who gets caught sleeping and who
doesn’t. We’ll see who shuts things down, who turns on the engine. That’s how
it is.”

on Missing Papi: “Important players are always going to be important
players. in our lineup, I make a difference when I’m playing. When I’m out of
it, you can tell. Some of the guys have to step up when you’re out and get it
done, but this game, it’s a game where you’re going to have hot and cold times.
If you know how to maintain yourself in between, that’s how people are going to
notice when you’re in and when you’re out.”

“I’ve been here for a while and doing my thing. when
something like this happens, this team is going to feel it. you’ll notice a
difference if anyone else goes down. everyday players, you always want to have
them out there. when you get one out, you’re going to miss the next because
he’s one of your everyday players.”

Hard not to play against Yankees? “It’s been hard for me since Day One.
I’m not used to this.”

Wrist stuff, “um, every day I feel better. every day I
discover something new, but in a good way. you know me, my problem might be
because I swing so hard, you know, I’ve got to be 100 percent to play, because
otherwise I could have a setback and I don’t wantthat. I don’t think this team needs that.
that’s why I’ve got to take my time before I start playing. But I’m feeling
good though.”

Live BP, “I guess, I did soft toss yesterday for the
first time, I looked all messed up doing soft toss. I never thought I would
have such a hard time hitting soft toss. At the end, I took like 25 swings. 25
soft tosses. At the end, I started catching up. I’m going to go through the
same thing today and we’ll see. I don’t know, I’ll probably be hitting in the
field maybe when I get back to boston.
it all depends on how he feel. this is kind of a weird injury and it’s becaue
one day you feel really good and another day you feel kind of weak. It seems
like you have to do what the trainers tell you to do and just hang in there.”

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127 Comments

It hasn’t been just Papi missing. Manny has been struggling as well so the Sox two most lethal weapons have been practically non-existent. It’s awfully tought to continue to win consistently with your two biggest run producers not producing much of anything.

After the first inning, we can already see that the most we can expect from Dice-K tonight is five innings. I don’t know how many pitches he threw, but it had to be close to 30. Then he gets to pass it on to the bullpen which hasn’t been real consistent.

One good thing is that Kazmir is also throwing a lot of pitches. We probably won’t be seeing him much beyond the fifth inning either.

Four walks in 1+ innings. That’s horrible. He seems to have no clue where he’s throwing the ball. The pitches he does get over are up in the zone. He hasn’t thrown anything for a strike but his fastball, and he hasn’t thrown many of those.

Dice-K needs to focus on his fastball, changeup, and a breaking pitch. Until he can command those, he needs to throw the other junk in the trash can. All that stuff does no good unless he can throw them for strikes.

Dice-K’s got nothing. If he gets to the 5th it’ll be on shear guts and a little luck.

This is funny: I’m talking to my mom today and she asks, “Did you see that game last night? I got so mad in the eighth, bases loaded and they can’t score!! JD strikes out. I started yelling at the TV and finally shut it off!” I said, “Mom you’re not alone, a lot of Sox fans were shutting off their TV’s”

In Manny’s last at bat, he took the two best swings I’ve seen in a while. He was right on foul ball and also the ground ball to third. He’s catching up with Kazmir. It would not surprise me to see Manny get him next time around.

You’ve got to be kidding me. That was the dumbest play I’ve ever seen. Lugo is a blithering idiot. You’ve got the fastest guy in baseball going down the first base line who hasn’t been doubled up all year and Lugo pulls a boneheaded play like that.

If I was Francona, I’d be having problems controlling myself with that kind of play. It was so blatantly obvious. I just want to kick something. I might buy a Lugo bobble head just so I can tear its stupid bouncing head off and smash it on the floor when Lugo does something like that. It might not last a day.

If he doesn’t pop up and just slides through he’d be fine. Sometimes Lugo makes mistakes when he tries to do too much. Dice-k is putting it together now. This game is starting to turn in the Sox favor. Let’s hope they can take advantage.

Dice-K is up to 75 pitches. That’s unbelievable. Lughead Lugo is a fool. It’s unfortunate but I give him credit for not making an error that costs a run. He is only making an error that costs his own team more runs. It’s a definite improvement since he did both beforehand.
Sox are again trying to win on 1 – 2 runs. We’ll see. My prediction…well you can probably figure that out already! LOL

I don’t know what it is but I still have hope I can rant again when the bullpen gives up the lead…but who knows…this could change my entire outlook on life. However…Manny is still striking out on a consistent basis so it’s obvious that I have something to rant about (LOL)

It seems like the umpires seldom call interference on the runner as long as they are somewhere near the bag and just slide through without gunning for the fielder. If Lugo just stays down and slides, I doubt the umpire calls him on it. But he popped up and tried to hug the SS. Lugo just tries too hard to make a play and ends up blowing it. JULIO!!! Arrrgggh. Sox should have about 6 to 8 runs by now.

That is true — even ranters need a night off once in a while but I’m telling you that Lug nut and Manny R. are still supplying a major frustration point with me. Fix that and I will have nothing to rant about. Hey– that would be cool!

I can’t understand why Pedroia swings at the first pitch with Ellsbury on first and two out. I know he’ hot but at least give Ellsbury a chance to steal. I f he’s thrown out then Pedroia leads off the next inning. Poor management.

The Trop is the most aggravating place I have ever been to watch a baseball game. That stupid music, the cowbells, and all the other noise there is ridiculous. It’s almost as irritating watching it on TV……. actually it’s more irritating because I have to put up with that twit Joe Migrane.

They are talking about eliminating the maple. Here’s another field I know a lot about. Maple has a great deal of strength but that strength comes at a cost. It’s a brittle wood. Ash has a lower strength factor because the grain is not as tight which makes it more flexible. The problem of course is the softer the material the more the bat absorbs the shock of impact and you get less zip on the ball when hitting it.
The other problem is batters insisting and taking down the width of the bat. That reduces the integrity of the wood. Maple has a very tight grain but with that thin a bat it will shatter very easily.
Ash of course is a problem because the ash population of the US is just about gone. The Ash bore beetle is killing the trees which is why we went to maple. Hardwoods are a serious problem. I woodwork and the price of wood just goes up. Interesting to see what will happen in the future.
What you don’t learn on these blogs!

Dave: good info. I knew there was an ash shortage, but I didn’t know why. If they don’t eliminate maple, then they need to do something about bat specifications to strengthen the handle. I actually think maple is too brittle because I have seen bats literally explode on what looks to be pretty good contact. They are very dangerous.

No question Maple is a bad choice. You need a softer wood but again batters will find home runs being a bit harder to come by. I suspect the future will be a composite material — strong but less brittle. That will have to be man-made materials. The big problem is wood’s weakness. Wood is basically like a series of straws glued together. Take a chisel at the end of the grain of wood (the top half of the bat) and it will split like crazy. The sides (face grain) is a bit tougher since you are striking against the wood grain. Technically this would make a baseball bat very strong when you have a ball hit it…but the end of the bat is fat and the handle is very thin creating a great bit of torque on the wood. Widen the handle and you solve a great deal of problems but then only a David Ortiz will like it. Guys like Pedroia will have a tough time of it.

Arnie,
Thank you. It means a lot to hear that. Might also add — my kids are incredibly cute aren’t they! My hardest project was the bed. That was sweat and took about six months. It will disassemble for moving. I’m really proud of it. Incidentally, I’ve never used maple in a project except for small jigs in the shop ($$$). I’ve used Cherry a lot. it’s expensive, soft as butter but is a gorgeous wood. My favorite is beech. It’s tough but a smooth wood. Softer than maple but beautiful. That’s the dresser I made for my younger daughter.

Do something Francona- get off yopur butt! Bring in Papelbon. Somebody has to turn them around.
The Yanks just explode. They should be in a good frame of mind when we play them. The Sox-they are a joke.

Simply put, there is no reason to feel good about this team. The bullpen is awful. No timely hitting. I wholeheartedly believe the Red Sox will be at least five games out of first place by the end of the week. It’s time for Theo Epstein to make a few deals, especially regarding the bullpen.

Red Sox blow another lead. I can’t remember the last time they were ahead on the game. You could have a nineteen run lead and they would blow it. TB must be feeling like the Sox are a little league team right now — wait they are!

This is the absolute low point. I’ve had a lot of confidence in this team until now. They can’t hit and now they can’t throw a strike, let alone just plain pitch. I mean, what chance do you have if your pitchers can’t or won’t throw a strike? Might as well tell the umpire to send the hitters to first. Save time and possible injury.

I hate to admit it but right now I can’t see the Sox ever winning another game for another two months. They will find the cellar and hopefully Theo will look at next year. I feel bad for the starting pitching which takes these losses or no decisions over and over again.

That was painful, f-ing painful! 5-4 is one thing but 7-4? Might as well call it a night. If the Sox don’t turn it around and get some fight in them, might as well call it a season. CMON SOX!!! Get some huevos and win this game!!!

If things go the same way with the Yanks- when the Sox come back to Boston the fans ought to let them know how they feel and what they think about them. Sometimes putting them in their place might make them realize that they are not earning their money.

You would do us proud with your tenacity. They won’t win this game — not enough time but it’s still a long season. Every time will slump and this team is now in a bad one. I know by September 12th they will be in better shape.

I’m ready to chew my tongue off before I speak the foul words that so damn a man who watches the Red Sox in this day of trial and turmoil. Oh woe to those who seek joy in a team that grants us no reprieve from the daily misery of painful losses.

Francona should think about taking a week off himself. The team has no sense of direction except down. Varitek and Ramirez both should be benched- they have been totally useless. Lugo shouldn’t even be on the team. I hope Theo is taking this all in. He should start making some decisions and except fo Lowell, Pedroia and Ellsbury everyone else should be on the table, including the bench staff. They are a disgrace.

Can anyone tell me why Varitek is constantly allowed to bat in the 8th and 9th innings with runners on when he is hitting .217. Casey should be pinch hitting. I’m sick of hearing “…and Varitek goes down swinging”. I don’t care if he’s the captain or not, he’s not hitting so pinch hit for him.

First things first, I don’t know who is hotter Erin Andrews or Heidi Whatney? Can’t go wrong either way, not that I have a chance, lol. Just like the Red Sox I guess, they didn’t have a chance as well. Not with that pen!!!

Delcarmen not covering first base is just non-sense. His head wasn’t in the game. Francona should light him up for that!!! NO EXCUSE!!!! If he covered first, Iwamurra would have been out. It changed the complexion of that entire inning and maybe the game. Hansen came in and couldn’t find home plate. Someone give him a Rand McNally, lol. I have written this before, thank god Delcarmen and Hansen aren’t air traffic controllers. Alot of planes would be landing in the water. Why did Hansen pitch to Longoria? It was obvious he was in trouble after walking the previous 2 hitters.

Did Mike Lowell steal second base on his own? Hit and run? Whatever that was, a bad play and not a percentage play!!! DUMB!!! DUMB!!!!

Once again, the Sox can’t get it together. When they pitch they don’t hit. When they hit they don’t pitch. That has happened way too many times. They have lost 5 in a row and are now 5 games behind the Rays in the loss column.

Dustin Pedroia what a game!!! Dice-K found a groove there for a stretch. When he throws strikes he is one tough customer.

T.B. is there until the end. I totally disagree with Ortiz, this isn’t a division just about the Sox and Yankees anymore. I think we can all agree there. I don’t know what he has been watching.

I was ranting all last night on the previous blog thread, wondering where everyone went — funny I was hammering Lugo (like must of us) for his mental error (and was so upset, couldn’t notice mine, wrong blog, hmmmm maybe a message to me) however, still lamenting — inspite of the horrible game, to my mind, Lugo’s blunder still cost us the game. We probably would have had at least 9 runs (assuming Pedroia’s hit remained the same, but of course you can’t say that). Still that killed a critical point where it sure seemed like we were going to blow the game wide open, instead it remained close, and well all ranted about the how the rest of the game unfolded.

About radical changes, none of us know what is going on or being worked on in the management offices…. but I am sure these problems are harder to fix than we can ever imagine, for some of a variety of reasons, including:

(1) Where do you send Lugo (for instance)… probably can’t trade him at all, probably the same for Hansen as well, right now. There are probably takers for Manny D. but what do you get in return? Who do you give up? Like the Marlin trade — for Beckett we had to take Lowell and Gonzales — if only we had kept Gonzales too — how smart we would have been? Nobody is going to trade for any of our bagge, they will have to be either flat out losses that we take, or baggage we throw in the deal giving up some other player of real value that we are not willing to part with.

(2) $$$ (Money) always messes things up — do clubs send million dollar salaries down the minors to play along side of minor league salaries (not just for rehab)? They should, but its probably a very bad dynamic — probably inconceivably humiliating to the major leaguer (though it should be done) — probably builds resentment amongst the minor leaguers. How would you like to sit next to Lugo while he is making millions (even if Lugo would go down) while you are on a minor league salary?

Still, all things considered, to me, I wonder if the SOX’s one faulty tendency is to fall in love with their own picks and analysis too much. Like when you purchase a bad stock, sometimes you hold it way to long and just take further and further losses (hoping it will turn around). But I think the SOX take it too far, Lugo and Hansen – if not already seen as picks that didn’t work out, should be, and removed from the portfolio.

I suspect all of SOX management know this, but the money complications and no trade value holds them hostage — though they all have the freedom and power to just cut their losses — which again, is what I think they are not willing to see or do — but again, what do I know, not knowing what is actually going on in the decision making offices.

Sox are activating Timlin and sending down Chris Smith. What a brilliant move. What’s next? How about when Colon gets back, release Papelbon and John Lester. Sometimes they have their head in places that question their competency. Timlin is a veteran who can’t find the strike zone.
Everyone is attacking the bullpen but the entire team is battling right now. Delcarman, Hansen, etc. are all struggling. Name me a closer that has had that great year. Even Papelbon has been disasterous at times but we don’t attack him. Delcarman was sailing for a while then just came apart.
Hitting, Varitek is managing a huge pitching staff and is working his tail off. He’s the hardest working catcher in the league and he hates what he’s doing as well. After the game he just starred at the lockers. He’s crushed inside. I defend Varitek because he does a lot more than hit.
Lugo has made some bad plays — no question — but imagine how he feels inside. He, I’m sure feels like an idiot. Notice he never does an interview anymore. He’s too ashamed of himself.
Those are my thoughts.

I just can’t get over that loss last night. Usually I get a little angry and then go back to having confidence that the Sox are going to come out swinging the next day. All year, when they have faced adversity I’ve felt that they would turn the corner. “When they get over the flu, all will be well.” “Papi’s coming back and Manny will work out his slump and Colon will come back.” Etc. etc. But they are NOT turning the corner! It’s getting me down. The bullpen seems to come together only to fall apart the next series. The bats come alive for one game only. Lugo and his errors, if not in the field, on the basepaths or in the batter’s box. Oy gevaldt! This is depressing! If they had a bad team I would be OK with it. But these are mostly the same guys that won the WS last year! Maybe I just need a break from the Sox for a day. I’ll take tonight off. I won’t check the score or look at the comments here. See ya tomorrow folks.

I wonder how many of the Nation are looking go into therapy, if not now then surely in the future. However, make sure the therapist isn’t a Sox fan or he/she, like most therapists to begin with , is probably worse off than you. How many fans married to other than other Sox fans take it out on their spouses? This is what the Sox are driving people to. It’s a good thing that we have this blog, which is a form of group therapy- especially the way the Sox are playing. As for myself- it doesn’t help. I’m still pissed at the team. Maybe taking care of the Yanks might be the best theapy of all. All we can do is hope/change–or is that an Obama slogan? I must be in bad shape–I’m beginning to sound like a politician

My thoughts on the maple bats are get rid of them and all wood! I have to think there is some engineer smart enough to figure out how to make an acceptable metal bat. One I used in softball many years ago wasn’t aluminum and didn’t seem to add anything to the flight of the ball. Or maybe the answer is a “limited flight” hardball!

Wow — and I was ranting on the previous blog all last night wondering where everyone went and marveling at how restrained and well behaved everyone was — I discovered my mistake this morning — and missed out on all the misery.

Get your blog tomatoes ready to throw at me — but maybe we should be grateful for two titles in four years. I still think the SOX CAN turn it around this year, they have the talent, but only if the current serious holes are temporary and can be plugged. But if enough of them continue to plague this team, it may be time to hope that a team like Tampa Bay wins out, and not the evil Empire.

Lets see: (1) Papi (2) Manny R and Tek (hitting), (3) Lugo (everything, replaced or major turn around), (4) Dice-K, (5) one of Buckholtz/Masterson/Colon, (6) at least three of Okajima, Hansen (should be let go), Manny D., Lopez, Timlin, e.g. the entire bullpen minus Papelbon, and hoping Papelbon does not catch the bullpen contagion this year, he has a few times..(7) a right-handed bat on the bench (Kielty, can he come back?…. at least 7 critical problems that have to be solved satisfactory for the SOX to turn it around.

Otherwise, we may have to good sports (still ranting of course) — but really, we should be grateful for 2 titles without settling at the same time.

The pen as a whole, Lugo, and Papi all have to resolve or we probably can’t regain the top spot, competition is too good throughout the league.

I think we do have a problem with the Sox. Check out the recent interviews I discovered:

Lugo: “Listen, I know we’re slumping but playing first base is hard you know.”
Interviewer: “You play first base?”
Lugo: “I do?”
Interviewer: “Some are calling you a lug nut?”
Lugo “That’s cool. Someone who holds the wheel on the tire right?
Interviewer: “Ya sure whatever.”

There are of course other examples of concern:
Manny: “I’m not worried. Heck I’m breaking the strikeout record.”
Interviewer: “That’s not a goal Manny.”
Manny: “Are you sure? That won’t get me into the hall???”

There are of course other countless examples. Manny Delcarman.
Manny: “I just try to go out there and aim for the umpire. I figure if I hit the umpire then I’m in the zone.
Interviewer: “That strategy is why you never hit the strike zone.”
Manny: “What strike zone?”

You can see why we are where we are. Consider this situation with Dice-K:
DiceK “I don’t understand it, when in Japan I could throw 500 pitches for 2 innings and here they limit you to 100 pitches. It’s not fair.
Interviewer: “You can’t adjust”
DiceK “I don’t want to adjust. It will ruin my winning strategy.
The evidence is there. You judge for yourself.

Lugo: “you saying I don’t play first base?”
Interviewer: “you play shortstop!”
Lugo: “What’s that?”
Interviewer: “Do you know what you’re doing out there when you hit?”
Lugo; “Of course I do. When the pitch is thrown my bat is swinging through the air. The air forces the ball to move away from you into the field. You hit it…you just break the bat. I know my stuff after all if I was dumb, the Sox wouldn’t have signed me to this billion dollar contract right!”
Interviewer: “We’re done right?”
Lugo: “I really like that lug nut idea. I’m going to have them call me lug nut Lugo. I think the guys will dig it!”
Interviewer: “Sounds good to me!”

Great too see the Sox jump out early. Good swings against Pettite. Run on Damon all night long. When was the last time Damon threw anyone out at the plate? Whoever he threw out at the plate, should never be allowed to run the bases again, lol. I guess Jeter thought Willis Reed was playing first base for the Yankees, lol. Thanks Jeter for the 2 runs in the first.

19 years ago tonight, Terry Francona hit his last H.R. of his career. Off of ? Dave Eiland, now the Yankees pitching coach. Just a little tidbit I thought most of you would like.

What the h– was Lugo thinking? He had to take 4 steps to get to second base. It looked like Abreu might have been out at first but still a bad play by Lugo.

As the days move along, it is more evident it is time to ship Lugo away!!! One dumb play after another. He is killing the Red Sox!!! Last night on the basepaths and for the entire season it has been in the field and at the plate. Memo to Theo, I will drive Lugo to the airport!!!

I don’t think I have cursed more in any one-week period in my life than this losing streak. Lugo is a big reason why. I read where Toronto is shopping A.J. Burnett for a shortstop. Perhaps they are interested in a rally-killer at the plate and a fielder who bobbles ground balls, makes errant throws to first base and bone-headed decisions when he is at the plate, on the basepaths and in the field. Lugo for Burnett straight up. Wonder if J.P. Ricciardi will be interested? lol, of course.

Jeff,
I feel your pain too. What’s wonderful about these blogs is that we can share the pain as well as share the joy. Tonight looks somewhat more hopeful. Lester is dynamite. I was thinking no-hitter for a bit of time but it all depends on teh bullpen. I’m sorry I mean (bullpen????)

Smith was the obvious choice to send down. He has some promise as a reliever when rosters expand, but he looked like a deer in the headlights at Tampa Bay with those three walks. He looked petrified. The Sox can’t have a guy like that on the mound in key situations.

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